They are the symbol of love and known for their sweet fragrance. Now, scientists think roses could also hold the secret to banishing grey hair.
New research shows a treatment that uses stem cells extracted from rose bushes could ‘reboot’ the growth of human hair in its original colour.
The technique involves removing stem cells (a type of ‘master’ cell which has the ability to turn into almost any other kind of cell) from the roots and leaves of the Damask rose bush – a popular shrub in British gardens.
The stem cells are then treated with chemicals to make them release tiny particles called exosomes, nano-sized bubbles of fat that are packed with genetic material and proteins that can repair faulty cells in the body. These exosomes are then injected into the scalp, to regenerate melanocytes, the cells in the skin responsible for giving hair its colour.
Humans lose their natural hair shade when melanocytes in the scalp become inactive, usually as a result of stress or ageing.
The plant’s stem cells are used instead of human stem cells, mainly because they’re more readily available, safe and there are no ethical concerns over their use – as there are, for example, with stem cells taken from human embryos.
A recent study by researchers in Thailand, Greece and Brazil showed six out of ten men and women with grey hair saw the colour come back to at least half of their hair following just four or five rose stem cell treatments.
Genes play a significant role in the timing of going grey. While the age at which it happens can vary greatly, around 90 per cent of people will be partially or completely grey by the time they reach 60.
Humans lose their natural hair shade when melanocytes – the cells in the skin responsible for giving hair its colour – become inactive in the scalp, typically due to stress or ageing
A treatment that extracts stem cells from the roots and leaves of the Damask rose bush – a popular shrub in British gardens – could transform grey hair back to its original colour
Hair turns grey when the melanocytes at the base of each strand stop producing the pigments that normally give it colour, or when there are no longer enough – melanocytes to do the job as a result of ageing. Although it looks white or grey, each hair strand is actually translucent.
In most people, colour loss is a gradual process over several years. But in rare cases, stress can lead to more rapid changes.
While there are famous tales of people going grey overnight (such as Marie Antoinette, who was said to have turned white-haired the night before her execution in October 1793), the truth is that hair can only change colour at the same rate at which it grows.
In recent years, the search for a solution has focused mainly on the unexpected side effects of certain prescription medications.
For example, a 2017 report in the journal Jama Network highlighted the remarkable effect that certain anti-cancer drugs had on the hair colour of some patients with lung cancer.
They were being treated with medications called PD-1 inhibitors, which work by boosting the immune system’s ability to seek and destroy malignant cells. But a surprising benefit was the complete transformation in the grey hair of some patients.
Photographs published as part of the study showed one man restored to a full head of dark hair from being almost completely grey before the treatment began.
‘The photos show they had a quite remarkable effect. The drugs seemed to stimulate the melanocyte cells so that they once again started to produce pigment,’ says Dr Christos Tziotzios, a consultant dermatologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London.
‘What needs to happen now is for scientists to see if it’s possible to develop a cream or lotion that could mimic the colour-restoring effects of these drugs, but without the side-effects seen when they are given as an infusion into a vein.’
Dr Christos Tziotzios, a consultant dermatologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, says scientists should see if it is possible to develop a lotion that could ‘mimic the colour-restoring effects’ of the PD-1 drugs, but without the adverse side effects
PD-1 inhibitor drugs – such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab and cemiplimab – can cause adverse effects, ranging from diarrhoea and fatigue to vomiting and joint pain.
At least a dozen other common medications have been linked with cases of hair colour restoration, including hydroxyurea – used to treat some forms of leukaemia – and rapamycin, a drug that helps to stop organ rejection in transplant patients.
But using garden roses, rather than potentially toxic medicines, could be a safer alternative.
Exosomes derived from rose bushes are already widely used in cosmetic dermatology as an anti-ageing treatment for skin. A study last year found they can enhance skin regeneration, help wounds to heal and reduce scarring.
For the latest study, published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, volunteers had the exosomes from rose bush cells injected in their scalp (with microjabs) four to five times over several months.
Most experienced a significant improvement in hair colour and there were no reported side-effects. But it’s not yet clear if the effects are long-lasting, or whether the treatment would need to be repeated regularly, as the study wasn’t long enough.
Dr Tziotzios says the idea that this could stimulate pigment production in the scalp is ‘scientifically plausible’.
But he adds: ‘It could work in theory, but it’s too early to say if this is really an effective way to reverse grey hair.’
